These lace ornaments are made for hanging in a frosty window. Each one is a single vertical strand of three connected diamond-shaped motifs in cream cotton thread. A wooden bead hanger sits above the lace, with a deep red bead between two natural tan beads, and a cream cord loop at the top.
Each diamond starts as a dc wheel, opens into a ring of spokes, and then squares off with small fan clusters at the corners. Turned on point, the square becomes a diamond with visible geometric openwork. A small shell edging around the joined strand adds a soft lace outline. The pattern makes a set of four matching ornaments, as shown in the photo.
This pattern uses US crochet terms. Each finished lace strand measures 3.2 in (8.1 cm) wide and 8.8 in (22.4 cm) long, not counting the small bottom loop. With the beaded hanger, the total hanging length is about 13 in (33.0 cm).
Construction is simple. You work twelve identical square motifs in the round, three for each ornament. You join them point to point into vertical strands, work one shell border round around each strand, block, and add the beaded hanger.
Finished Size and Construction
- Finished size (one ornament, lace only): 3.2 in x 8.8 in (8.1 cm x 22.4 cm)
- Total hanging length: about 13 in (33.0 cm)
- Skill level: Easy-intermediate
- Terminology: US crochet terms
- Yarn weight: #1 super fine / size 3 cotton crochet thread
- Hook: 2.0 mm steel hook
- Number of pieces: 12 motifs (3 per ornament x 4 ornaments)
- Layout: 1 vertical column of 3 diamonds per ornament
- Piece size: 2 in (5.1 cm) per side, 2.8 in (7.1 cm) point to point
- Size before border: 2.8 in x 8.4 in (7.1 cm x 21.3 cm) per strand
- Border depth: 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on every edge
Materials
Yarn: Use mercerized cotton thread in size 3 or a smooth fingering-weight cotton. Mercerized cotton holds crisp stitch definition and blocks well. Avoid fuzzy or brushed yarns, because they blur the openwork.
- Cream / natural: 40 g, about 140 m, for all four ornaments
Hanger and tools:
- 1.5 mm cream cotton macramé cord or twine: 56 in (142.2 cm) total, which is 14 in (35.6 cm) per ornament
- 8 natural tan wooden beads, 10 mm, with holes of at least 4 mm
- 4 deep red wooden beads, 12 mm, with holes of at least 4 mm
- 2.0 mm steel crochet hook
- Tapestry needle (small eye)
- Stitch marker
- Rustproof pins and a blocking board
- Spray bottle
- Optional: fabric stiffener or light spray starch
The quantities above include about a 20% margin for your gauge swatch and weaving in ends.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- dc – double crochet
- sp – space
- sk – skip
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rep – repeat
Special stitch: Shell. Work 3 dc in the same stitch.
Gauge and Checkpoints
Gauge: 17 sc = 2 in (5.1 cm), which is 8.5 sc per inch. Measure this along one side of a finished motif at Round 4.
Make one complete motif before starting the rest, and check it at each stage:
- After Round 1: about 0.75 in (1.9 cm) across
- After Round 2: about 1.25 in (3.2 cm) across
- After Round 3: about 1.8 in (4.6 cm) per side
- After Round 4: 2 in (5.1 cm) per side, 2.8 in (7.1 cm) point to point
If your motif is too big (more than 2.1 in / 5.3 cm per side), go down one hook size, to about 1.75 mm.
If your motif is too small (less than 1.9 in / 4.8 cm per side), go up one hook size, to about 2.25 mm.
Small differences multiply across three diamonds, so match the gauge before making all twelve.
Diamond Motif
Make 12. Work in joined rounds with the right side facing. Do not turn.
Round 1: Ch 4 and sl st to the first ch to form a ring. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work 15 dc in the ring. Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3.
(16 dc)
Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as dc + ch 2). Dc in next dc, ch 2. Rep from * 14 more times. Sl st to the 3rd ch of the beginning ch-5.
(16 dc, 16 ch-2 sps)
These are the spokes of the center wheel.
Round 3 (growth round): Sl st into the first ch-2 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc), then work (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the same sp for the first corner. 3 dc in each of the next 3 ch-2 sps, then (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in the next ch-2 sp. Rep from * 2 more times. Work 3 dc in each of the last 3 ch-2 sps. Sl st to the top of the beginning ch-3.
(60 dc, 4 corner ch-2 sps)
Here is how the 60 dc break down:
– The 4 corners have 6 dc each, for 24 dc.
– The 12 side spaces have 3 dc each, for 36 dc.
– Each side has 15 dc between corner spaces (3 + 9 + 3).
Round 4 (conversion round): Ch 1. Sc in the same st as the join and in each of the next 2 dc. Work (sc, ch 2, sc) in the corner sp. Sc in each of the next 15 dc, then (sc, ch 2, sc) in the corner sp. Rep from * 2 more times. Sc in each of the last 12 dc. Sl st to the first sc and fasten off.
(60 sc worked 1 per existing dc + 8 sc added at corners = 68 sc, 4 corner ch-2 sps)
Per-side count: Each side has 17 sc. That is the 15 sc worked into dc, plus the 1 corner sc at each end. The corner sc are not shared, because the ch-2 separates them. This gives 17 x 4 = 68 sc in total.
Weave in the center tail now. Leave the outer tail for blocking.
Make All Pieces
Make 12 motifs in cream:
- 3 motifs per ornament
- 4 ornaments
- 12 motifs total
Turn each square on point so it hangs as a diamond. The layout for each ornament, top to bottom, is:
ORNAMENT 1: CREAM / CREAM / CREAM
ORNAMENT 2: CREAM / CREAM / CREAM
ORNAMENT 3: CREAM / CREAM / CREAM
ORNAMENT 4: CREAM / CREAM / CREAM
Within each ornament, label the diamonds A (top), B (middle), and C (bottom). Lightly spray-block all twelve motifs to 2 in (5.1 cm) per side before joining. Identical blocked motifs give straight strands.
Joining
Method: Point-to-point bar join through the corner ch-2 spaces.
Steps:
- Lay diamond A above diamond B, right sides up. Turn them so A’s bottom corner touches B’s top corner.
- Join the thread with a sl st in A’s bottom corner ch-2 sp.
- Ch 1, then sl st in B’s top corner ch-2 sp.
- Ch 1, then sl st back into A’s corner sp.
- Fasten off and weave in the ends.
- Join B’s bottom corner to C’s top corner the same way.
Stitch-to-stitch logic: The join uses only the corner ch-2 spaces. All 17 sc on every side remain free for the border. This keeps the border math clean.
Tension: Pull the ch-1 bars snug so the points meet without overlapping. If the bars are loose, the strand will sag. If they are too tight, the points will pucker.
Size checkpoint: Each joined strand should measure 2.8 in x 8.4 in (7.1 cm x 21.3 cm), within 0.2 in (0.5 cm).
Border
Border gauge: The border is worked 1 stitch per existing sc, at the same 8.5 sts per inch as the motifs. It adds no new stitches along the sides.
Per-side repeat: On every motif side, work this sequence across the 17 sc:
Sc in first sc, sk 1, shell in next sc, sk 1, sc in next sc. Rep from * 3 more times.
Each side gets 4 shells and 5 sc, for 17 stitches made. The first and last sc land in that side’s corner sc.
Round 1 (shell edging): With the right side facing, join the thread in A’s top corner ch-2 sp. Work in this order:
- Work (sc, ch 3, sc) in A’s top corner sp. This is the hanger picot.
- Work the per-side repeat on A’s upper-right side.
- Work (sc, ch 3, sc) in A’s right corner sp.
- Work the repeat on A’s lower-right side.
- At the join, skip the joined corner spaces. Go straight to B’s first corner sc and work the repeat on B’s upper-right side.
- Work (sc, ch 3, sc) in B’s right corner sp, then the repeat on B’s lower-right side.
- Skip the joined corners, then work the repeat on C’s upper-right side.
- Work (sc, ch 3, sc) in C’s right corner sp, then the repeat on C’s lower-right side.
- Work (sc, ch 5, sc) in C’s bottom corner sp. This is the drop loop.
- Continue up the left edge the same way: C’s lower-left side, left corner, and upper-left side; then B; then A, ending with A’s upper-left side.
- Sl st to the first sc and fasten off.
Counts per edge:
– Right edge: 3 motifs x 2 sides x 17 = 102 stitches made (24 shells, 30 sc).
– Left edge: 102 stitches made, the same as the right.
– Corners: 8 free corners x 2 sc = 16 sc. These are the top, the bottom, and three corners on each side.
– Total: 204 + 16 = 220 stitches (144 dc, 76 sc), plus 7 ch-3 picots and 1 ch-5 loop.
Why the math works: The repeat uses 4 sc per shell unit, with 1 extra sc to start. That gives 1 + (4 x 4) = 17, which exactly matches each side’s count. Every side starts and ends on a corner sc, so the shells sit evenly and line up with each other.
Checkpoint: The strand should now measure 3.2 in x 8.8 in (8.1 cm x 22.4 cm).
Final Blocking
- Weave in all remaining ends through the sc rounds. Do not weave through the shells.
- Spray each strand until it is evenly damp, but not dripping.
- Pin it to 3.2 in x 8.8 in (8.1 cm x 22.4 cm). Pin the top point, the bottom point, and each side point first.
- Pin each shell outward so the fans open.
- Pin the bottom ch-5 loop into a neat teardrop.
- Optional: Brush on a light coat of fabric stiffener, or mist with spray starch, for a crisper hang.
- Let it dry completely, at least 12 hours. Then unpin.
- Attach the beaded hanger:
- Thread the 14 in (35.6 cm) cord through the top ch-3 picot and center it so both ends are equal.
- Pass both ends together through a tan bead, then a red bead, then a tan bead.
- Slide the beads down against the picot.
- Tie the ends in an overhand knot to form a hanging loop of about 3 in (7.6 cm).
- The bead stack should measure about 1.25 in (3.2 cm). Trim the excess cord.
Final Quality-Control Checklist
- [ ] All 12 motifs measure 2 in (5.1 cm) per side.
- [ ] Each motif has 68 sc in Round 4, with 17 per side.
- [ ] Join bars are snug and the points meet cleanly.
- [ ] Each strand measures 2.8 in x 8.4 in (7.1 cm x 21.3 cm) before the border.
- [ ] The border has 4 shells on every side and 24 shells per long edge.
- [ ] Each finished strand measures 3.2 in x 8.8 in (8.1 cm x 22.4 cm).
- [ ] The bead order is tan, red, tan on all four ornaments.
- [ ] All four ornaments hang straight and match in length.
Troubleshooting
Motif cups or ruffles. Your Round 3 tension differs from Rounds 1 and 2. Recheck the count (60 dc) and adjust your hook size.
Shells crowd at the corners. Make sure you are working into the corner sc and not into the ch-2 sp. Re-count each side to 17 stitches.
Strand twists or leans. One motif is a different size from the others. Block all three to the same measurement before joining.
Gap shows at a join. Redo the join with tighter ch-1 bars.
Beads slide or slip. Your cord is too thin for the bead holes. Add a small knot under the lowest bead.
Care
Hand wash in cool water with mild soap, press out the water in a towel, and re-block flat. Store flat or hanging, and away from humidity if the ornaments are starched.
Final Notes
The measurement chain stays simple:
- 17 sc = 2 in (5.1 cm) per side.
- Each diamond is 2.8 in (7.1 cm) point to point.
- Three diamonds joined make 8.4 in (21.3 cm).
- The shell border adds 0.2 in (0.5 cm) on every edge, for a finished size of 3.2 in x 8.8 in (8.1 cm x 22.4 cm).
- The beaded hanger brings each ornament to about 13 in (33.0 cm) of hanging length.
Check your first motif carefully, and all four ornaments will match.
Optional: For a longer window display, you can make additional ornaments with the same motif and border.
Happy crocheting!